


Let's hang out sometime

by mag_writes_stuff



Series: Whumptober 2020 [1]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: #whumptober2020, Angst, Death, Execution, Gen, Guilt, Hanging, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Injured Jaskier | Dandelion, Lynching, M/M, Magic, Multi, Nilfgaard, Other, Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Witcher Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, ciri - Freeform, cuffed, major chracter death, restrained, shackled, whumptober2020, writing prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:54:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26810215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mag_writes_stuff/pseuds/mag_writes_stuff
Summary: Waking up restrained|Shackled|Hanging
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Series: Whumptober 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1955380
Comments: 6
Kudos: 46





	Let's hang out sometime

"He isn't coming for me." 

Jaskier's voice was raspy and quiet. They had not given him water for days it seemed. He could only urge his voice to make any sound out of necessity. 

Because even though he knew that they would not let him go even if they understood the chasm that now seperated him and the witcher, a tiny part of him had to hold onto that hope. 

The man in front of him adorned in shining black armor glared at him, as if Jaskier were the root of all of his problems. A woman stood behind him a couple paces clothed in a mages uniform. 

"Let's hope you're wrong, bard. For your own sake." 

The man reached out and slapped him on the face a few times gently, in a condescending sort of way. Then he was left alone again. Hands cuffed together and chain linking him to the stone wall. Jaskier let himself slide to the floor, dejected. 

Squeezing his eyes shut. 

Two weeks ago, he was playing sea shantys in a small coastal town's tavern. Jumping around the room, smiling along with the audience, and laughing as he tried to keep the song flowing smoothly despite the group of burly seamen who were all loudly accompanying him with their deep voices and distinct accents. 

And after a night of good fun, his pockets were substantially heavier with the coin earned from his performance. He had stored his lute in his room before leaving the tavern and walking a few minutes to relieve himself. 

Unluckily for him, he had just gone to a place where no one would notice if he was taken. Which they didn't.

Three men with muscles larger than Jaskier's head surprised him and the fight did not last long before they walked away with the bard slung over one of the man's shoulders. 

Just three months earlier, it would have never happened like that. Jaskier would still be traveling with Geralt, and the witcher would have protected him, or if nothing else would have noticed if the bard didn't return after a couple of minutes. 

But no, three months ago he and Geralt were traversing the mountains in search of a dragon. And after finding it, its egg, and its mate, Geralt had finally let the bard know how he really felt. 

So, Jaskier had left and the witcher didn't stop him. 

Now, here he was, being held captive by Nilfgaard because the black armoured knight somehow thought that Jaskier would lead them to Geralt. 

After the first week, they had learned how wrong they were. The mage invaded his mind and must have seen what had happened on the mountain because the black knight beat him within an inch of life afterwards. 

After regaining his consciousness and waking up to find his vision blurred and unable to move from the pain, he didn't see anyone for days. No one came to ask him questions. No one came to feed him. They just left him there to rot it had appeared. 

Broken ribs, lacerations, bruises, black eye, and abrasions covered him from head to toe due to the knight's anger. 

After so many days, he had lost count, though it was not hard as he flickered in and out of consciousness, someone finally came to him. Looking at the person through partly swollen shut eyes, he could just barely recognize the mage. 

Afraid she was here to look into his mind again, Jaskier tried to build up his defenses like Geralt had taught him so long ago. 

If there was anything of use to Nilfgaard in his memories he did not want them to see it. The witcher may not care what happens to him, but there was not anything anyone could ever do to make Jaskier betray the white wolf. 

It was a futile attempt, unnecessary in fact. 

"The famous bard has been captured by Nilfgaard, sentenced to hang on the halfmoon. " 

The aforementioned bard took a moment to look confused, his mind foggy and thoughts blurred. Finally realizing what she meant, he looked back up at her. 

"Yes, you'll hang in a weeks time. The news has been spreading like wildfire. I'd tell you not worry, because your witcher will come dashing into save you, but when he does we'll be waiting. You'll hang either way... a worthy sacrifice for our cause. "

Jaskier opened and closed his mouth to say something but no words would come out and the mage didn't bother staying to listen. 

He tried to think about what she had said. He could not bring himself to care that he was sentenced to death, it seemed arbitrary after everything he had been through already, and if this was the end of the line then who was he to fight against it. The most confusing thing was actually the fact that they thought the best tactic to get to Geralt was through him. 

Did they actually believe that the witcher would come rushing in, risking everything, just to save Jaskier? 

After everything that had been said on the mountain, the bard certainly didn't believe it. Geralt was not going to save him, and neither was anyone else.  
_____

He had been riding for days, practically nonstop. Only pausing to let Roach rest. He was pushing her to her limits.

The news had reach Kaer Morhen barely a week ago. Nilfgaard had a bard held captive. 

The messenger said that it was surely to be Jaskier, the renowned troubadour. 

Garelt's stomach had twisted at that very moment and the knot had not come undone since. Jaskier was apparently sentenced to hang for conspiracy in a week and a half's time. The trip itself from Kaer Morhen to Nilfgaard was two weeks long going at a decent pace. Time was slipping away, and Jaskier's life depended on him getting there to stop the execution. 

All of his words were eating him up inside too. He could not stop thinking about how the last things he said to the bard were so cruel. And he knew too that it was his fault Nilfgaard even had Jaskier. 

If they had stuck together after the mountain, Jaskier would not have been taken. He would be safe in Kaer Morhen with Ciri and himself. None of this would be happening if Geralt could have just controlled his anger instead of letting it all out on the bard. 

Jaskier had always followed him so loyally. He had always taken care of Geralt after fights and had always been so understanding of the witcher's habits and personalities. They had had a great relationship going for them, traveling together, protecting each other, and Geralt ruined it. 

He could not blame the bard for walking away and never coming back. Geralt's words had left no room for misinterpretation, and by the time he realised what a mistake he had made by telling Jaskier that he did not want him around, it was too late. Jaskier was long gone and Geralt had said things that were unforgivable. 

He rode on, urging Roach as fast as he dared lest she tire too quickly. Geralt did not expect to be forgiven when he rescued the bard, but he could not live knowing that Jaskier was not alive somewhere else in the world too.  
____________  
It took him exactly a week and three days to reach Nilfgaard. He had run into trouble crossing a river which ended up costing him hours of time, precious time. 

It was already midday as he ran into Nilfgaard, having left Roach behind in the forest to keep her safe. 

He rushed past the guards and did not look back as they began pursuing him. 

Pushing people out of the way, running as fast as he could, desperately trying to get there in time.

Finally, making it to a winding street, he could see in the distance the opening to a courtyard. Crowded with people, his view was blocked. The guards were gaining on him, fighting as he went. Getting captured now was not an option. 

He just kept running. The noise getting louder, and able to see the top of the gallows looming above the people gathered below it. 

Shoving his way through the crowd, he finally burst through into the courtyard. 

But just as he did, the executioner pulled the lever and the trapdoor beneath the bard's feet opened. 

Geralt watched in slow-mo as Jaskier fell. Making eye contact with the man for the first time in months. The look of surprise on the bard's face as he saw the witcher would haunt Geralt for the rest of his life. 

Screaming as the rope tightened around Jaskier's throat, he began to run forward but the guards pursuing him through the town had finally caught up with him. They grabbed his arms and held him back, he watched as his bard suffocated before going completely still. 

Jaskier was dead.


End file.
